FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 10 Years in State Prison
For Assaulting 3-Year-old Son

Struck Toddler with Cord, Wire and Belt, Had him Kneel on Legos;
Child Left with Limited Use of his Hand

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brownsville man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for brutally assaulting his 3-year-old son by violently striking him, holding his hands and feet under hot water and making him kneel on Legos for hours at a time.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This horrific violence against a helpless child by his own father is disturbing and completely unimaginable. Instead of caring for him, this defendant subjected his innocent little boy to repeated assaults. We will continue to seek lengthy prison sentences for those who harm our children.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Leonardo DeCouite, 24, of Brownsville, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Miriam Cyrulnik to 10 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree assault earlier this month.

The child’s mother, Kiana Mohansingh, 21, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to six months in jail and five years’ post-release supervision on May 19, 2017.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between September 1, 2015 and March 4, 2016, DeCouite assaulted his son repeatedly – beating him with wire, cord, a belt, making him kneel on Legos and holding his hands and feet under hot water. The child’s mother, Mohansingh, admitted striking him in the face with a hard plastic toy causing bruising and swelling to his left cheek.

The defendants were arrested after Mohansingh’s mother noticed bruising on the child and called police. The child has limited use of his hand due to his parents’ failure to seek immediate medical attention.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Gwen Barnes of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Miss Gregory, Chief.